Sunday, February 28, 2010

José Alberto Nieto Ros, the originator of the new amateur radio data mode ROS, has agreed to move the suggested 20m frequencies for ROS to 14.0972MHz and 14.102MHz.

This takes them further away from the 14.100MHz international beacon chain frequency as the originals had been 14.098MHz and 14.1011MHz.

“This is good news,” said Steve Nichols, secretary of the RSGB's Propagation Studies Committee. “I am grateful to José for acting so quickly.

“It is important that we keep 14.100MHz clear as the beacon network (the only one on 20m) is used worldwide.Some reports of interference by ROS may have actually been Olivia, which sounds very similar. And today we have heard packet signals on 14.100MHz too.

“It looks like we still need to educate some data users about keeping away from the beacon frequency,” he said.

According to one ham the performance is equivalent to the Olivia mode. But the bad news is that US hams will not be able to use this new mode. One ham recently wrote the ARRL in regards to the ROS mode and received the reply below from Dan Henderson, N1ND:

I ran this by our technical experts. They concur that ROS is a spread spectrum mode and as such is not allowed by the FCC on bands below 222 MHz. Remember that approved emissions vary from IARU Region at times as well as between countries. So while the IARU Band Plan for Region 2 would allow it, SS is not permitted on the HF bands by the FCC.

Friday, February 19, 2010

This piece of legislation, if passed, is detrimental to that portion of the radio hobby that streams Public Safety audio streams on the Internet. As a result, other agencies and states that have reservations now about the hobby streaming Public Safety audio on the Internet will be able to point to this law and pass similar legislation. Illinois state scanner enthusiast should contact their state representatives and oppose this bill.

Synopsis As IntroducedAmends the State Police Radio Act. Provides that a person receiving public safety voice or data communication transmitted via the facilities of the State's public safety radio system by wire or radio shall not, without the written authority of the originator of the communication, rebroadcast the communication via any means, including radio or Internet, or otherwise divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning thereof. Provides that this provision does not apply to the public safety radio communication transmitted by any system station for the use of the general public, including Amber Alerts and other communications specifically intended for rebroadcast to the public. Provides that radio access to the public safety radio system within the State may only be accomplished upon receipt of written authorization granted by the appropriately licensed authority. Provides that a violation of these provisions is a Class A misdemeanor. Effective immediately.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

NASA is targeting the launch of Discovery on its next shuttle mission to the International Space Station for April 5, a day after a new crew is scheduled to arrive at the outpost aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

Discovery and seven astronauts would blast off from launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center at 6:27 a.m. that day, the middle of a 10-minute, predawn opportunity to put the shuttle on course for a two-day trip to the station.

Discovery had been set to launch March 18. But unusually cold weather, which can damage shuttle steering thrusters, has prevented NASA from moving the orbiter from its processing hangar to the Vehicle Assembly Building.